In this short interview, BBS Head of School Sina Bellmann and General Director Inga Burgmann talk about their path to BBS, their new roles at the school, and a little about their lives outside of Kandinsky Haus. (Photo: Stephen Wilks)
Sina, how did you get to BBS?
Sina: I joined BBS in 2011 – around the same time as Cornelia (Donner, the former head of BBS). I had done my PGCE for German and French in England, but I couldn't get a job there. I came back to Berlin, and worked at a free school in Neukölln, which I didn't really enjoy. I was already in touch with Cornelia then, and when BBS offered me a position in 2011, I came straight away. I spent my first years here teaching in grades 1-4 and working as a support teacher. Then I became Math and German coordinator, and – prior to becoming head of school – was head of the primary school.
Are you from Berlin?
Sina: Yes, I am a true Berliner, but I grew up bilingual, and I spent a lot of my childhood in York, because my mum is from there.
How about you, Inga? How did you end up at BBS?
Inga: Well, it wasn't that long ago, was it? I started on August 1. I worked at Doctors Without Borders, and I was ready for a change because it had been seven years. I wanted to stay in Berlin and continue to work in an international setting. A friend found this job on a sustainable jobs board. I applied, and here I am.
I had a huge interview panel – including Sina – interviewing me. Marcus (Waltl) showed me around. My immediate impression was that the team is young and dynamic. It had a good vibe. I knew there were ongoing discussions about the Kandinsky Haus, but I felt that the people here were making the most out of the situation. They were positive, and that was the spirit I was looking for in a new job.
What's different about this job compared to Doctors Without Borders?
Inga: I was a financial advisor, so I was working more with numbers, whereas now, Sina and I are busy with implementing the gGmbH and also making a priority list of what we would like to do. The roles have changed since the gGmbH, and that is something that everyone has to get used to. It doesn't matter if it’s Pfefferwerk, the Verein, or the school itself – we are one BBS now, finally, and that’s a good thing. But it also means there are a lot of steps ahead to make it happen.
Sina: And actually putting something on paper. We could see that this was a problem in the past. We were small, and we grew quite big, and nothing was ever on paper. So, we're now writing an organigram, and really structuring what every role is supposed to do.
How long do you think the transition period will take?
Sina: We started properly in the summer. I think writing it all down will take a while, but I hope to be done by the end of this semester. But actually implementing it and everybody getting used to it will probably take another year.
Inga: I see a big chance at the moment, because we are all under one roof. I think now is the time to make it happen. Let's have the main bits established by the end of the school year, because then the primary and secondary schools will be separated again.
How will the gGmbH structure impact the "BBS spirit"?
Sina: Since I've been here, the influence of the parents has decreased, which makes it harder to keep the BBS spirit alive. This is something we're working really hard on at the moment, because I always enjoyed that about BBS. It gives a warm feeling to the school. We're trying to find out where the problem lies – why parents are not as involved as they used to be, and whether this is a normal dynamic that a community takes when it gets bigger. Maybe it's something that we as the school can work on together with the board.
What do you most enjoy about your job?
Sina: The versatility that is needed. No day is like the next. I enjoy the problem solving, the teamwork, and seeing the development of the school. I really enjoyed that from the first day I got here – that it wasn’t a finished product, but something that I was able to contribute to.
Inga: I like working in our leadership team. We meet once a week. We have lots of things to discuss, and we always run out of time. We work closely together. There are agreements and disagreements, and that is a good sign. I also love the fact that BBS is so international and diverse: not just the children, but also the colleagues. I think that’s really, really nice.
OK, now for some hard-hitting personal questions: Name something that’s on your Christmas list.
Inga: I have twins at home, so I’d love to be able to sleep through one night.
Sina: Maybe just a day in pyjamas without doing anything.
What was the last concert you went to?
Sina: AC/DC. It was super-good! No, wait – my last concert was actually Cypress Hill.
Inga: Mine was Mogwai – also very good.
Here’s one that Andrew Comerford asked his students last year: Would you rather have the power to travel 10 seconds into the past or see 60 seconds into the future?
Sina: Neither, because I really believe in the present.
Inga: Oh, that’s a nice answer. I like to be surprised by the future, so I think I’d like to be able to go back into the past.
What would you do if you didn’t have to earn money?
Inga: I would travel. The first place I’d go would be to the Arctic.
Sina: I would organize weddings and do yoga.
Inga, what’s something that people should know about Sina?
Inga: I think that people sometimes underestimate her. She's a strong woman, and I strongly believe that she will reach her full potential in this job.
Sina, what should people know about Inga?
Sina: I love working with her. She's a tough cookie. I learn a lot from her every day. And she can be super-funny.
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